Vacuum cleaner



July-531, 1945 J, N BAKER 2,380,382

VACUUM CLEANER Filaa Nov. 29, 1941 `5 sheets-sheet 2 'Tay/:#2 1MM Janes N. BAKER July 31; 1945. J N BAKER l VACUUMv CLEANER kFiled Nov. 29, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 JAMES lV. BAKER J. N. BAKER VACUUM CLEANER July 31,'1945.

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 29, 1941 n JAMES N. BAKER July 31, 1945.-"

J. Nv. BAKER VACUUM CLEANER Filed Nv; 29, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I .JAMES h//TNE S @zu @ma/mag Patented July 31, 1945Av VACUUM chaman James N. BakerfBaltlmore County, Md., assigner t to TheBlack and Decker Manufacturing Company, a corporation oi' Maryland Application November 29, 1941, Serial No. 421,013 9 Claims. (Cl. 183-37) The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner which is adapted tov meet the dimcult conditions encountered in industrial plants, warehouses, and the like, a field for which it has been developed and to which' it is particularly well adapted being cleaning work on automobiles and around garages and automobile wash stands, filling stations, andthe like, including both wet and dry work. The various novel features are used in the combinations shown, but are also capable of more general application. .Y

Important advantages of the improved apparatus include Ithe provision of a construction and.

arrangement which is satisfactory for use in handling liquids as well as in the separation of other foreign particles from the'cleaning air draft. For this purpose th'e motor is fully protected being entirely outAof contact with the incoming draft and the material separated therefrom, cooling of the motor beingaccomplished by an air draft which reaches the motor by a path separ-4 ated from the cleaning elements of the aparatus.

It is also of advantage that the clean air be caused to swirl as it enters giving a vortex action which tends to drop the heavier particles, The incoming dirt laden air, in accordance with the preferred arrangement, then passes in an upward direction through a baiiiing or straining device to remove medium weight particles before encountering the bag or filter fabric. The term, particles, is applied both to solids and liquids but the baffles are'of particular advantage in separating liquids.

A further'important contribution to the improved result attained is due to the arrangement of the bag or similar filter in the form of a series of convolutions Iby means of inner and outer bag stretchers whereby a relatively large area of 'the bag or similar filter material is exposed in filtering relation to the air draft without increase of tank volume so that the maximum amount of .f dust is taken from the air with a minimum of restriction to air flow thus giving a high degree of vacuum and maximum air ficwin proportion to the power consumed.

It is also of advantage that th'e bag support and the inner and outer opposed bag stretchers are so arranged that the bag is placed automatically uder tension as the apparatus is assembled being preferably in the form of a plurality of approximately concentric filtering partitions or walls separating and defining alternately arranged filter chambers, which may be divided into two sets of inner and outer chambers, one set being open to the intake and the other set to 'the vacuum.

It is also of importance that the apparatus not only provides efiicient separation in a small space but that it has a large space for accumulation of debris. It is also notable that the tank is economically rconstructed of sheet metal of different thickness .in the dierent areas according to conditions presented and the preferred construction includes a skirt to protect the castors on which the machine stands and to prevent capsizing.-

Another feature of interest is that the motor and fan and discharge pipe are in a single unit which is first removed in disassembling and that this unit is adapted to stand on the floor and toA supply, when thus removed, an air draft adapted to cleaning the bag and to other purpvses. The unit. referred to may be combined with the tankl cover, the tank and cover being for convenience included under the term container. 'I'hese and other features will |be more` fully brought out in the-description and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated examples of the machine to which the invention may be applied, including a preferred and a modified form.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the machine, the internal construction being indicated in broken lines, the drawing being on a reduced scale,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in the nature of a section on a radial plane of the apparatus, th scale being relatively enlarged,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus as v shown in Fig. 1, f

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan of a baille plate removed,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectionvon the line 5-,5 in Fig. 4, drawn to an enlarged scale,

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section looking downwardly from the line 8-6 in Fig. 2, and showing the cleaning draft fan arrangement.`

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the filter plate assembly and intermediate bag stretcher, Fig. 8 is an elevation of the bag support removed,

Fig. 9 is an elevation of a modified form of bag stretcher and support removed, and

Fig. 10 is a section corresponding to Fig. 2 showing the machine with the bag stretcher Fig. 9, included. l

Referring to the drawings by numerals, each of which is used to indicate the same or similar shown, considered in a general way, comprises a tank I, a cover assembly 2, which assembly includes the motor 3, motor housing 4, motor'cooling fan 5, cleaning fan assembly 6, and inner bag stretcher 1. The construction furtllmincludes bale plate assembly 8 seated in the tank and having intermediate bag stretcher 9 mounted thereon and outer bag stretcher and support I on which th'e filter I I is mounted, being placed under tension between the stretchers as the apparatus is assembled in a manner to be described.

It being understood that the elements of the machine as above catalogued and its details-and arrangement are subject to variation, these ele- Vments and these details and arrangements will now be more specifically described.

'I'he tank I, in the preferred form shown, conslsts of a downwardly tapering or inverted frustoconlcal bottom section I2 which may" be of relatively heavy sheet material as steel, and a. top cylindrical body portion I4 of lighter gage steel.

The construction shown also includes a skirt Il flaring outwardly and downwardly from the bottom section or member I2 and -preferably of the heavier sheet material. The top, bottom and skirt members are secured together along a horizontally extending zone I6 in any suitable manner as by welding or the like.

Between the skirt I which extends down to or slightly below the bottom of the tank at I2" and the inclined wall I2' of said section is an annular chamber I9 which conveniently encloses castors I1 on which the apparatus is suPDOrted and rolled about. The castors I1 are mounted in brackets I1' secured to and extending downwardly from horizontal struts I8 extending radially across the annular space I 9 and welded or otherwise suitably secured at their ends. The flaring skirt I5 by contact of its bottom edge I5' with the floor or other supporting surface serves to prevent capsizing of the apparatus, and also to shield the castors and to protect the lower end or bottom section of the tank from damage.

As a convenient means of covering, the top edges of the joint at I6, the tank is shown as provided with a circumferential externally convex bead at 2l and at a somewhat higher elevation there is an externally concave circumferential bead or indentation 2l which supports the baille plate assembly 8 as hereinafter further described.

The tank I, inthe form shown, is provided with a tangentially arranged inlet at 40, Figs. l and 3, provided, as shown, with a fitting or nipple 4I for convenient attachment of the hose in a manner permitting it to be quickly detached end applied to the discharge fitting when it is desired to operate by blowing instead of by suction as in cleaning the bags and for other pur-A poses.

The tangential arrangement of the. inlet 40 which is preferably located well above the bottom of the tank, in operation sets up acircular current or vortex in the tank I which tends to separate the larger particles and drop them to the bottom of the tank wherethe air is but slightly disturbed if not absolutely still. The bottom taper at I2' contributes to the result, and the vortex maybe otherwise attained. A

The cover assembly 2 includes acover casting 22, which, yin the form shown, has a depending peripheral flange 24. 'Ihis is circular in outline, the entire apparatus being preferably circular in cross section or in plan, as shown. This depending flange 24 takes over and enclosesran .ap-

proximately horizontal outwardly disposed top flange 25 formed on the top edge of the tank I. The cover casting 22 is also provided, in the form shown, with a downwardly disposed shoulder` 26 which is spaced upwardly above the bottom edge of the depending flange 24 providing an annular chamber or groove 21, said shoulder 26, flange 24 and chamber 21 extending entirely around the cover.

In the assembled relation, the top edge of the bag support I Il indicated at 28 is flanged outwardly in a horizontal plane and enclosed in a rubber bead 29 which rests on the top horizontal flange 25 of the tank and supports the cover 2, the shoulder 26 bearing downwardly on the bead oppositely to the tank flange 25.

In this way the bag and support I0 and II are held in the tank secured between the top edge of the tank andthe shoulder or seat 26 on the cover and thus capable of instantaneous removal when the cover is removed.

In the form shown, the cover also includes a centrally located cleaning draft fan housing or chamber 30 which is open at the top into an annular discharge chamber 3l which surrounds the fan housing and has an upwardly disposed or other suitable discharge opening 32 for the cleaning draft. This opening is shown as provided with a fitting 33 in the form of a nipple to which the hose is detachably secured, as when and lf, it is desired to use the apparatus as a blower instead of the regular suction cleaning operation more generally performed with such apparatus.

This fan chamber or housing 30 is extended downwardly and closed at the bottom by a bottom cover member 34 secured by bolts 35 or in any suitable manner, this cover is open at the center at 36 to admit the cleaning air draft which is drawn upwardly from the tank, passing from the vortex zone at the level of the inlet 4U upwardly through the baille plates comprising thc assembly 8 and through bag II, to be further described, to this passage 36.

The bottom cover member 34, in the form shown, supports the inner stretching ring 'I spaced downwardly therefrom in any convenient manner as by means of legs 38 as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This stretcher ring or top stretcher enters the bag Il and engages the bottom of the bag performing the final bag stretching operation as the assembling of the apparatus is completed, the cover being finally locked in position in any suitable manner as by means of latches shown in Fig. 1 at 44 distributed around the cover; such latches being a commercial product do not require specific description.4 It maybe noted at this time that' the cover is shown as provided at diametrically opposite points with projecting ears 45 which serve as handles and the apparatus is provided with brackets 46 and 41 for supporting the cable and hose when it is desired to coil them about the apparatus.

The motor 3 is enclosed-in a housing 4. This housing 4, in the form illustrated, is supported on the cover casting 22 at the top center on a suitable seat 48, the motor housing 4 being correspondingly flanged 50.

The seat 48 at the top center of the cover casing 22 is shownas grooved or channeled radially at 5|.,Flg. 2, to provide for the discharge of the' motor cooling draft which enters the motor housing by way of slots 52 at the top fbeing drawn f' downwardly by fan 5. The motor 3 is supported in the housing 4 in a suitable manner aslby means at 43 and secured by bolts of vertical screws 64 "threaded upwardly into bosses 54' near the top ofthe housing, and the axis of the motor is upright and preferably aligned'with the axis of the\tank and cover, dislocation and rearrangement in the nature of changes of design being immaterial.`

The motor shaft is connected in any suitable manner to a drive shaft 66 on which, in the preferred form, the motor cooling fan is, mounted, being located in a suitable fan aperture 66 in the bottom wall 61 of the motor housing 4.y 'I'lie object being. as already pointed out, to cool the motor by an air draft which is'entirely separate and., independent of the cleaning air draft so that the motor is fully protected at all times from grit, dust or liquids which may be handled.

by the cleaner. g The cooling air is, in the form shown, discharged through openings 6|.

In accordance with the preferred construction, the top wall 58 of the cover casting 221s closed so that there is no exchange of air between the cleaning area ofthe apparatus, particularly the discharge chamber 3|, and the motor housing 4.A

This construction may be said to contribute to the improved result attained by the down draft arrangement vdescribed whereby the motor is cooled and protected from the foreign substances which are separated from the air draft in the cleaning process. It will be understood, however, that thedirection and source of the motor cooling draft'wo'uld tend to protect the motor but it is of advantage to have wall 68 imperforate.

As shown. the shaft 65 extends downwardly through bearing 60 in the top wall 58 of the cover casting 22 which is also the top wall of the discharge chamber 3| and this lshaft has mounted thereon, in the form shown, a plurality of spacing sleeves 6I and 62 and collars 63 and 64, forced.

upwardly against a shoulder 63' and clamped, as hereinafter described, by means of a nut 65 threaded on the lower end of shaft 66.

The cleaning draft` fan assembly or fan is of the centrifugal type with a central intake at the bottom at 36, see Fig. 2, and ap'erlpheral discharge at the topinto discharge chamber 3|, which has a discharge opening 32 and discharge fitting 33.

The fan, as shown, certain details being matters of design and subject to variation, has three rotary blade members 66 each comprising a supporting disc or plate 61 shown as at the top of eachsaid blade member and secured to the shaft 55 in any suitable manner as by spacing sleeves 6|, 62,v and collars 63, 64 between the adjacent axial ends of which the inner central edges of said discs 61 are inserted and clamped by the ber 30, shown as at the top of the blade member. ese are clamped in the fan chamber by the s acing cylinder 12 which bears at its opposite ends against the outer peripheral edge portions of both said plates 1|, 1 I whereby the upper stationary fan'supporting plate or disc 1| is forced upwardly against a peripheral shoulder 13 in chamber 30, the disc 1|' of the lower stationary fan member, being forced upwardly against the bottom edge of spacing cylinder 12 bythe bottom cover 34 of the fan chamber which, as shown, may have an upwardly projecting rim 14 for this purpose, this rim is forced upwardly by'tightening Each stationary fanfblade member 10 includes a set of fan blades 16, see Fig. 6, whichfmay be of a contour and radius similartothat of the rotary blades 68 and of similar extent in the direction of the fan axis. As shown, each set of stationary blades 16 is connected and reinforced by plate or disc 11 of an outside radius similar pressure nut 65. Each rotary blade member also includes a set of fan blades 68 extending outwardly from and having their inner ends 68 spaced outwardly from the axis and inclined backwardly, i. e., oppositely to the direction of revolution and each set of blades 68 is shown as of considerable extent in the direction of the fan axis which in this instance is upright and the blades are connected and reinforced by a ring plate 69, the central opening/6r which at 69' surrounds the corresponding sleeve 6 i, 62. 'I'he outer ends of rotary fan members are' of less radius than chamber 30 leaving a peripheral edge space 15,- see Fig. 6. Between each pair of adjacent rotary blade members 66, the construction shows a stationary blade member 1|)v of which there are two in the construction shown. Each stationary blade memberhas a supporting ring plate or disc 1|, 1|' of the full diameter of the fan chamto that of the two sets of fan blades 68 and 16 which is also the outside radius of the top and bottom discs or plates 61 and 69 of the rotary fan blade members 66. These discs or plates 11 are centrally apertured at 11 to clear slightly the spacing sleeves 6|, 62 of the rotary blades, but the supporting or top discs or plates 1 I 1 I of the stationary blade members 10 `and the bottom discs 69 of the rotary blade members 66 are centrally apertured to pass the` air draft, the central aperture in disc 1| ybeing indicated at 18. 'Theidraft is as indicated byarrows D in Fig. 2. In operation the air is drawn in at 36 and thrown out to the periphery of the bottom rotary fan `blade member 66. 'Ihe lower stationary fan blades conduct it to the center where it passes upwardly at 18 going through three stages of compression or advancement to the discharge chamber 3|.

The manner of securing the bag 'holder I0 in position by clamping the peripheral bead 29 between the downwardly disposed shoulder 26 on the cover casting 22 and the top flange 25 of the tank has already been described.

The bag support I0, which, in the form shown, serves an important bag stretching or spreading function may be approximately cylindrical. As shown, it has an upwardly flaring portion which terminates in the top horizontal Vrim 28 previously described. This rim or flange may be enclosed in and by the rubber or other packing or bead 29.

At the bottom of the flare 80, the construction, as shown, includes a concave zone or groove 8| in' and to which the top edge of the bag is secured in any suitable manner as by means of a band 82 which may be of rubber or'otherwise adapted to apply the necessary tension. As suggested, the top edge of thenbag may be otherwise secured on or independently of the member I 0 which serves an important function in spreading or stretching the bag. Actual tension of the bag being desirable but not indispensible. The bag stretchers may be of any suitable shape.

The bag support l0 which may be cylindrical is shown as perforated 'as at 83 substantially throughout its area and open at the bottom 84, the

y bottom edge being preferably given a smooth inward and upward curvature as at 84 to avoid any tendency to tear or rupture the bag as it is 'stretched over this edge which serves the bag spreading or stretching function already ascribed shown and stretches `or spreads the bag downwardly and outwardly.

The intermediate stretcher 9 is shown as in the form of a, cup open at thetop at 85 and having as to its top edge an upward and outward 'curvature at 86 similar to the formation of the bag support at its bottom edge 84f. The intermediate bag stretcher or spreader is shown as perforated substantially throughout its area, the purpose of the perforations as in member I being to pass the airsaid perforations being indicated by reference character 81. For convenience of construction and particularly to provide a support, the intermediate bag stretcher 9 has a bottom wall 88, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 7. Other supporting means may be provided. In the form shown bolts 89 are passed through this with a downward sthrust. These respective thrusts are applied or reach their maximum when the apparatus is brought to assembled relation and clamped. As thus spread or stretched, ten sion being desirable, the bag is arranged in approximately concentric chambers C, C1, C2, C3, which may be referred to as sets of alternate air supply and discharge chambers separated by the bag walls. The chambersof one set, C and C2 being outside the bag and the chambers of the other set, C1 and C3, being inside the bag. This arrangement gives the maximum area of efficiently presented filter fabric in the minimum space.

By reference to Fig. 4 it will be noted that baie plate 95 is similar to the other plates 96,

bottom wall and downwardly through spacing Top sleeves 90 serve to space the stretcher 9 upwardly from top plate 95.

The baffle plates 95, 96, 91, 98 forming the assembly 8 are of a form and area to close the cross section of tank I, which, in the form disclosed, is circular, and they are supported in the tank in the form shown by contact of the bottom baille plate 98 at its outer peripheral edge with the peripheral concavity or inside bead 2|, see Fig. 1, already described. Any suitable support may be provided. y

In this way the entire baiile plate assembly and the intermediate or bottom bag stretcher may be supported in the apparatus, in the manner suggested in Fig. 1, the preferred details being more fully illustrated in Figs. 2 andv 7. These terms top and bottom are used on account of contact with the top or bottom surfaces of the bag, i. e., inner and outer surfaces.

The inner or top stretcher ring 1, has already been described. This ring is supported on` legs 38 extending downwardly from the bottom cover 34 of the fan housing and it may be noted in this connection that the lower outer contour of this ring is preferably curved as indicated at |09 in Fig. 2 to give satisfactory contact with the bag. The bottom edge of the ring 1, as previously described, is adapted to engage the floor or other support and to hold the cover assembly including the motor 3 and cleaning fan assembly 6, discharge chamber 3| and discharge tting 33 in a iixed and operative position relatively to the iioor, facilitating the use of the discharge 33 with or without the hose or nozzle for cleaning the iilter bag and for other blowing operations without the tank and lter and bailles, etc., and hence without the resistance or restriction resulting therefrom.

As illustrated, the dust bag or filter |I is preferably frustoconical though its shape would be determined by the shape of the bag stretchers, shown as the outer stretcher and support I0, the intermediate stretcher or bottom support 9 and the upper or inner stretcher 1. The alternate stretchers are oppositely disposed, that is, the outer stretcher I0 or bag support engages the inside of the bag with'a downward thrust. mediate stretcher or support 9 engages the outside of the bag with an upward thrust and the inner stretcher engages the inside of the bag The interp 9T, 98 and it will be noted that these plates are provided with smalltrap holes or openings |02,

each of which is formed by cutting a tongue of metal |03 on three sides and bending it downwardly. In the preferred form, Figs. 4 and 5, these lips are inclined downwardly and in the direction of the air draft which enters at 40, see Figs. l and 3. These trap openings |02 in the form shown are arranged in a series of concentric circles |05. The arrows in Fig. 5 show the yrelative direction of the vortex or circular air current due to the vacuum created by a fan assembly 6 and tangential direction of inlet 40, 4|. The lips |03 also cause eddy currents adjacent openings |02 through which the vacuum draws the air, cleaned of practically all but the iine particles of foreign matter. The baille plates need not be of identical construction or of any fixed number.

In operation, it being assumed that the apparatus has been entirely disassembled, the tank being empty, the baille plate assembly 8 and the intermediate bag stretcher 9 are first inserted, the bottom baille 98 resting on the inner bead or peripheral concavity 2|. The outer bag stretcher orsupport |0 with the bag mounted thereon and secured as described but extending beyond its bottom edge 84', the excess material being loosely arranged, is next inserted. I'he loose or free end of the bag is thus turned upwardly from said bottom edge 84 over the top edge 8B of the bottom or intermediate bag stretcher 9 extending the bag over the outer surface of stretcher I0 and providing a free unbacked and unobstructed zone |I' between circular curved edge 84 and similar edge 86. While the term concentric has been applied to the bag stretcher and chambers C, the meaning intended is not that the stretchers are necessarily coaxial or circular but ring-like or hollow and adapted to be brought to assembled relation by passing one through the other to arrange the bag is a series of similarly shaped convolutions. The ring like form is preferred, though other convolutions are contemplated. The term ring or ring-like, or hollow, is intended to include various closed bands or dished members which may be square, oval, polygamal, irregular or circular.

The cover assembly having been combined in the manner described, the top or inner bag stretcher ring 'I carried thereby in the manner shown and described is ypressed downwardly with said cover assembly, the ring 'l entering into the portion of the bag at the center bottom which will have subsided into the upper area of cup vshaped bag stretcher 9. The cover assembly is then lowered until its downwardly disposed peripheral shoulder 26 rests on the bead 29 or otherwise on the top edge of the bag support l0.

assassa `which,m-tl'1e position described. rests on the top horizontal ilange 25 of the tank. being clamped when the cover is latched in closedposition.

The cover assembly 2 being brought down into position is clamped by operation of the latches 44, which are distributed around the periphery of the cover and tank, wherebythe assembly is completed.

The ,electric cord or cable |04 'is shown as wrapped around the hooks 49 at the top oi' the tank in Fig, 3. I'he hose which may be attached for suction cleaning to the fitting Il or for blower cleaning to the iitting 33 and provided with the usual set of suction and blower nozzles is not shown. It may be coiled and supported by hook 41.

It is also notable that the vortex action of the air in the zone of the tank in which the inlet 40 is located, tends to separate the larger particles in the initial operation, the lower portion of the tank in the zone around l`2 containing air which is practically quiescent so that the particles which are thrown out or dropped by the v ortex action are deposited in the bottom area .and remain until removed.

It is also notable that the cleaning draft is upwardly disposed and that the force of gravity tends to separate the solids as the air is advanced upwardly having a similar and even more important effect in the separation of liquids, which are most desirably retained in the bottom of the apparatus.

Above the vortex area around the nozzle, the air draft encounters the baille plates 95, 96, 91, 98 with their trap 4openings A|02 through'which the air escapes, the depending lips |03 tending to contact the particles more particularly the medium sized particles and deflect them downwardly whereby they are dropped or retained between the baliles depending on the location of the point of separation.

When the air reaches the filtering chambers C and C2, which are on the intake side of the bag, the bulk of the foreign matter, except the very ne particles, will have been separated.

It will also be apparent that by this construction and arrangement, a larger area of the bag is operatively arranged in smaller area givingv a filter of high capacityl in a relatively small space, at the same time the tank provides a relatively large space for debris in which the air is caused to swirl giving a vortex action to separate thel heavier particles.

It is also notable that while the baiiiesl are particularly effective in removing moisture, they also serve to remove the medium sized particles closed as examples only 4of the application of the invention,A thek description being so worded as to enable those skilled in thetart toconstructthis and other apparatus for the practice of the invention.

I have thus described a preferred and modified apparatus embodying the invention, the description being specinc and in detail in order that the manner of constructing, applying, operating and wardly projecting ribs or bag. distenders |06 disf tributed over its surface so that the bag. Il is spaced outwardly from the wall at |01 of the support making the area of the bag outside of the support one lhundred percent effective as a filter by avoiding any tendency to limit the effective area of the bag on the outside of the support, to the perforations, i. e., to the area comprised by the perforations themselves. In other words, the outer surface of the support does not block the pores of the fabric as it may be said to do where the fabric is in close contact with said surface. l

The two forms of apparatus 0WD. are (11S- using the invention may be fully understood; however, the specic terms herein are used descriptively rather than in a limiting sense, the

scope of the invention being dened in the claims. What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: j

1. A vacuum cleaning apparatus comprising tank and a cover therefor, a filtering bag extending mto the tank, a plurality o! bag stretchers of different diameters supporting said bag in approximately concentric convolutions in said tank, one of said stretchers being a separate removable frame extending within the inside of the bag and having an outer peripheral ring to be clamped between the tank and cover and having means for securing the bag mouth thereto, whereby the bag and frame closes the crossAv the tank extends outwardly around the suction assembly and adjacent to the cover, the stretcher on the bottom of the suction assembly extends only part way into the removable frame, whereby a large area of bag surface, removed from other bag surfaces and free from contact with stretch-v ers, is presented to incoming air.

3. A vacuum cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 1 including a baille plateassembly closing cross sections of the tank between the air admission means and filtering bag and on which the stretcher projecting from thev tank is mounted.

4. A vacuum cleaning apparatus comprising an upright cylindrical tank and a cover therefor, a filtering bag extending into the tank, a

plurality of bag stretchers of different diameters supporting said bag in approximately concentric convolutions in said tank, a'suction assembly on said cover, said cover and bag being readily removable from said tank, means admitting air tangentially to said tank adjacentthe bottom thereof, said means imparting a whirling motion to the incoming air, a baille plate assembly removably supported in said tank above said means and closing cross sections of said tank, said assembly comprising substantially horizontally extending apertured plates having bales adjacent some apertures adapted to throw particles from the air prior to its passage through the' apertures. one of said bag stretchers being mounted on said baille assembly, and forming therewith a unit readily removable for cleaning upon removal of the cover, "suction assembly and bag.

5. A vacuum cleaning apparatus comprising an uprightcylindrical tank and a cover thereplurality of bag stretchers of different diameters supporting said bag in approximately concentric convolutionsin said tank, a suction assembly on said cover, said cover and bag being readily re- A movably supported in said tank above said means:

and closing cross sections of said tank, one of said bag stretchers being mounted on said bafile assembly, and forming therewith a unit readily .removable for cleaning upon removal of the cover, suction assembly and bag.

6. A vacuum. cleaning apparatus comprising an upright tank and a one piece cover,` filtering media in said tank, a dust laden air entrance in'said tank beneath said filtering media, an air `exhaust chamber in said cover having an outlet for, a filtering bag extending into the tank, a. through the upper wall ot the cover, and a bearl ing in said upper cover wall for said shaft, a

fan on said shaft in said chamber discharging air into the chamber, the cover, motor and fan being readily removable as a unit from the tank for cleaning.

- 8, A vacuum cleaning apparatus comprising an upright filter containing tank and a one piecel cover therefor, said cover having upper and lower walls forming therebetween an air exhaust chamber, an outlet from said chamber,

I a motor above said cover having a shaft passing s haust chamber, the cover, motor and fan being therefrom, the top of said cover having a fluted groove therearound, a motor housing above the cover and fitting closely on said groove, a motor in said housing with a motor shaft extending therefrom, shaft bearings in the top of said cover supporting said shaft the cover top closing the air exhaust chamber from the motor housing,

' a fan on said shaft in said motor housing drawing Warm air from said motor and discharging it through the iiutes in said groove, a fan on said shaft in said air exhaust chamber creating a -suction in the tank and discharging the air an upright filter containing tank and a one piece cover therefor, saidcover having upper and lower walls forming therebetween an air exhaust chamber, an outlet from said chamber, a

motor above said cover having a shaft passing readily removable as a unit from the tank for cleaning.

9. A vacuum cleaning apparatus comprising an upright filter containing tank and a one piece cover therefor, said cover having upper and lower walls forming therebetween an air exhaust chamber, an outlet from said chamber, a motor above said cover having a shaft passing through the upper wall of the cover and av bearing in said upper cover wall for said shaft, a fan chamber formed centrally in the lower wall of said air exhaust chamber, and a dish shaped cover under the fan chamber having a central opening in the bottom thereof and a fan in said fan chamber, on said shaft, drawing air through said central opening and discharging it into the air exhaust chamber, the cover, motor and fan being readily removable as a unit from the tank for cleaning.

JAMES N. BAKER. 

